Clothespin



Jan. 25, 1949. E. A. ALsoP ETAL CLOTHESPIN Filed oct. 18, 194e Patented Jan. 25, 1949 CLOTHESPIN Ernest Albert Alsop and Harold Victor King, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Application October 18, 1946, Serial No. 704,070

. 9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved clothes pin and it refers particularly to a clothes pin' of that type wherein -two members are pivotally tted together and are held in position by a coil spring which is adapted to oppose any opening action such as when the clothes pin is fitted to clothes suspended on a clothes line.r

It is an object of the invention to provide a clothes pin, particularly suited for production by plastic moulding operations,` which is of simple and inexpensive construction while being of sturdy design;y which-is of extremely attractive appearance; which is so made that the two cooperable members of said clothes pin will be restrained against relativelateral movement, and which is of convenient sizefor packaging purposes.

With these and other objects in view we have constructed a clothes pin comprising two relongated body members held together in pivotal arrangement by means of a coil spring, the opposite ends of which are formed. as intwined arms to bear upon the outer sides or surfaces of said body members at predetermined 4locations thereof. The coil spring is housed within two upper recesses in the head portions of the said body members and the clamping jaw or leg portions of said body members have their inner surfaces flared, to provide a lead to enable the clothes pin to be slid smoothly over clothes suspended on'a clothes line, and recessed to ensure that the clothes pin will .rmly grip said clothes so as tor holdthem securely on the clothes line. yEach of the body` members is formed with a longitudinal groovev and, adjacent thereto, a tongue kor rib. Said groove and said tongue are so located and so dimensioned that when the two body members are fitted in assembled conditionv the tongue of the one interts or engages with the groove of the other, and vice versa. Consequently, relative lateral movement between said body partsor members is effectively prevented. The tWo body members are of identical construction so that.-

Fig. 2 shows, in side elevation, the inner surface of one of the body members of the clothes pin,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line and inthe direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig, 4 shows a transverse section `through the clothes pin, the section being taken as on the line indicated by the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the clothes pin opened a relatively large amount.

The clothes pin illustrated in these drawings comprises two body members or parts IA and IB, each of which has at its upper end a head 2 and at its lower end a clamping jaw or leg 3. The outer surface of the head 2 tapers outwardly and upwardly, forming a neck 4, which provides a convenient finger grip, and at an intermediate position the body is formed with a hip 5 which is grooved or recessed at' 6. The leg 3 is formed with a strengthening rib 'I on its outer surface and at its lower end it is curved outwardly at 8.

The inner surface of each body member IA or IB is formed with a irst inner transverse arcuate recess 9 and with a second inner transverse recess I0. Between said recesses 9, I0, a vertical longitudinal groove I I and an adjacent, vertical longitudinal tongue or rib I2 are arranged to extend at either side of the longitudinal center line of each body part. The said groove II and tongue I2 are substantially coextensive with respect t0 l each other and are spaced substantially equal distances from the opposite side edges of the body members IA and IB, the groove II of each body member IA or IB being of such length, breadth and depth that the tongue I2 of the opposed body member IB or IA fits neatly thereinto. A side wall dening groove Il is aligned with or forms a continuation of an adjacent side wall dening tongue or rib I2 (Figs. 2 and 3). The two body members are, as near as practicable, of identical construction, being adapted to be produced with one and the same mould.

When the inner transverse recess 9 is formed in the head 2 there is provided a small lip or abutment I3, for the purpose to be hereinafter described.

A coil spring I4 is housed within the recesses 9 of the assembled body members IA, IB-said recesses being of slightly larger radius than said spring IA-and the opposite ends of said spring are formed as arms I5. The outer ends of said arms I5 are inturned at I6 and when the spring is correctly fitted in the recesses 9 those inturned ends are adapted to seat within the outer transverse recesses 5 provided in the outer surfaces of said body members. The spring I4 is so made that the inturned ends I6 exert inwardly di rected pressure on the body members IA, IB so that they are restrained against pivotal opening movement.

To assemble the parts of the clothes pin the position within the-recesses 9, when the inturnedl ends of said spring are seated firmly in the recesses 6.

will be opened a short distance as the spring I4 moves past the lips I3.

When the clothes pin is so assembled-Las shown in Fig. 4--with the pressureeof. thespizing;y

I4 holding the guide sections and clamping jaw sections of the body members IA, IB together, the lips I3 will be spaced a short distance apart and ',eachl ,of 1theitonguesA I2. :,willl be-'seatedsnuglyin the opposedvgrooive I.|; soathat relativelatera-L movement atsaid4 gnidefsections ot thefclothes pin will be positively prevented- In. then, the: clothes cpincisfslidl over; an article of.A clothing suspendedz fromt 1a clothesline-the;

outwardly aredtends; Beoftherclamping jaw sec-` tions ofthe legs-'.3 permitting am easy' sliding: movement-the two: cooperabla elongated.- body'v membersIIA;` IB will bef movedipivotally apart,

pivoting. abouti` arr axis. .slightly/i'. below.I the coil spring.l im.. until. the twolips or: abutn1ents..l3l meet.- As illustrated in cofthel drawings,z the oppositetongueA and; groove; connections remainalwaysinterengaged-V at their. upper. ends;`

andi-.relativeV lateral; movement will; still. be prevented).-

Itfwilli be found that the clothes-.-pi1rmanufac tured according-toi this inventionwill; be` ofv extremely attractivesappearance, sturdy-and duraiblein use andl willf possess the advantagesfthat the two body-*partseW-ill-notfcome apart `by lateral movement under normali workingconditions.

Moreover; as theetwof-bodylfparts are of. similar.

designy` and construction it-willi advantageously be. produced inlargelqua-ntitiesbyfmass production methods. The advantage/ot'assembling'twoparts. of the same'shap'eas comparedA with the assem bling of :two -p'artsof different-1shape is readilyf` apparent.`

The` tapering head- 21'05 each'body-imember pro vides a convenient finger grip forvthe1 manipulal tionl of the pin whichi's normally#A employed as aw pushl on clothes pin.- If desired the` legs31fofA the pin-maybe `openedbyapplying finger/prese sure to the head of the pin.y This willbeoffa'dm vantage when* the clothes pin' is used-withdelicate* fabrics: according to' our inventionl combines the. advantages of the push on clothes pin-convenience in packaging-with thev advantages of the lopenable` clothes pin.`

Having thus described Athe-invention', what isv claimedas new and-desired tod beV securedf by Letters Patent, is r 1; A- clothes pin comprising a rst elongated body member, a secondv elongated body member;

spring means tted 'between said body' members and havingv its oppositeV ends formedA asarms adapted tol bear upon the outer-surfaces of said body members and;y thereby restrain said bodymembers aga-inst' pivotal opening; movementsV about said springmeans, each body member be-- ing provided with a longitudinal groove-in` itsl inner surfacel and a'-Iongitucinaiz tongueadjac'ent The upper ends 4 of the body legs 3 forming guide sections of the members IA,.

Consequently' the clothespin made said groove, said grooves and said tongues extending between said pivot forming spring means and the opposite ends thereof, the tongue of the rst body member being adapted to seat in the groove of the second body member and the tongue of the secondbody member being adapted to seat in the groove of the first body member whereby relative lateral movement of said body members is preventedi.

2.' A clothes pincompri'sing'two elongated body members, spring means tted between said body members near the upper ends thereof, each of the-tbody members including an upwardly and outwardly tapering head portion, a transverse recess. in'stlieinner: surface of said head portion fo'rfretaining7 said spring means, a longitudinal groove-andan adjacent longitudinal tongue on the inner surface ofsaid head portion coextendingfle'ngthwise of the latter and below said transverse recess, a hip on the outer surface of said bodymember below-said head portion.. a` transversezrecess. in said hip. for accommodating the' ends ofV said. spring, means, respectively, and av clamping; j aw portion'. extending belowxsaid hip.

3. A. .clothes .,pin. according to. claim' 2. wherein saidl longitudinal grooves.- and-V saidtongues` extend between said. transverse. recesses` of: said. head: portions and. the; transverse recesses-provided. in the` hips of saidcbodyf members.

4., A clothes pin comprising` twointertting lopKv posed body member-5,. a'l coil. spring ,-having.' free:

ends and forming a .pivot: forsaid.- body members in'` assembled condition-z thereofby each of said' body members comprising.,a;headz portion, a: hip portion: and. a. leg portion; the` head: portion. hav*- ing its outersurface.- of outwardly and upwardly tapering formation: and-having at its inner surfacev a. transverse recess for seating.y said coil spring, avlongitudinal groove and an adjacent @longitudinal tongue formed inthef inner surface; ythe hip.' portion having-aV transverse recess` oir its outer 'surface' forv accommodating. thev free endsof saidcoilv spring; and` the'leg portion4 havingL its lowermostr end flared. outwardly.

5..- A clothes: pin according to'claim' 4, including a' lip formed on the inner surface of each head portion above.I the trans-verserecess thereof.

6.. A .clothes pini structure comprisingY a. pair of. elongated identical. body parts. each having oppositely- -disposed. cuter surface: and inner surface; a: guide. section',` al .clamping jaw' section,.

both! saict sections extendinglengthwise of` said` inner surface.- ofiA each. body part,.,a iirst inner transverse. recess. at one? end of each. guide sec tion-.a second. inner transverselrecess at the op posite. end of `each. guide section. a-ndlpositioned` intermediate saidguide section and said clamping jaw section,v an outer transverse recess disposed`.on each outersurface of said body part and positionedat a l'ocation .between saidfrst.

inner.' transverse recess andl said second inner transverse recess, each guide section being provided at its' inner' surface with a longitudinal rib andE adjacent `thereto with 'a longitudinal groove,

. said rib and` saidvv groove beingarranged' toextend i at.` either side of ther-longitudinal center line of saiid: body' partrand, being substantially vcoextensive with each other;.saidbo'dy1parts in assembled condition facing. eachi .other'with said-inner surfaces andinterengaging eachaother' by means of` saidi. ribs'uaridf said. grooves; respectively, and

transverse recesses and.` terminating in :ends: re-

spectively; 'accommudated imsaidr. outer flverse :recesses maintain-said clamping jaw sections in abutting relation to each other, said spring means in said first inner transverse recesses forming a pivot for and said guide sections remaining interengaged during movements of said clamping jaw sections to open and closing positions, respectively.

7. A clothes pin structure comprising a pair of elongated identical body parts each having oppositely disposed outer surface and inner surface, a guide section, a clamping jaw section, both said sections extending lengthwise of said inner surface of each body part, an inner transverse recess at one end of each guide section, an outer transverse recess disposed on each outer surface of said body part and positioned at a location below said inner transverse recess, each guide section being provided at its inner surface with a longitudinal rib and adjacent thereto with a longitudinal groove, said rib and said groove being arranged to extend at either side of the longitudinal center line of said body part and being substantially coextensive with each other, said body parts in assembled condition iacing each other with said inner surfaces and inter-engaging each other by means of said ribs and said grooves, respectively, and spring means accommodated in said inner transverse recesses and terminating in ends, respectively, accommodated in said outer transverse recesses to normally maintain said clamping jaw sections in abutting relation to each other, said spring means in said inner transverse recesses forming a pivot for and said guide sections remaining interengaged during movements of said clamping jaw sections to open and closing positions, respectively.

8. A clothes pin structure comprising a pair of elongated identical body parts each having oppositely disposed outer surface and inner surface, a guide section, a clamping jaw section, both said sections extending lengthwise of said inner surface of each body part, an inner transverse recess at one end of each guide section, an outer transverse recess disposed on each outer surface of said body part and positioned at a location below said inner transverse recess, each guide section being provided at its inner surface with a longitudinal rib and adjacent thereto with a longitudinal groove, said rib and said groove being arranged to extend at either side of the longitudinal center line of said body part and being substantially coextensive with each other, said body parts in assembled condition facing each other with said inner surfaces and interengaging each other by means of said ribs and said grooves, respectively, and spring means accommodated in said inner transverse recesses and terminating in ends, respectively, accommodated in said outer transverse recesses to normally maintain said clamping jaw sections in abutting relation to each other, said spring means in said -inner transverse recesses forming a pivot ioiff'and said guide sections remaining interenfgaged during movements of said clamping jaw sections to open and closing positions, respectively, and abutment means arranged at said inner transverse recess of each body part to restrict movements of said body parts during opening thereof.

9. In a clothes pin structure, a pair of elongated body parts arranged for relative movement with respect to each other, each body part having an inner surface, each inner surface being provided with a longitudinal groove and an 'adjacent longitudinal tongue projecting from said inner surface therebeyond, a side wall dening said groove being aligned with a side Wall defining said adjacent tongue, and spring pivot means connecting said lbody parts with each other and with their inner surfaces in face-toface relation, the groove and tongue of one of said body parts engaging the tongue and groove of the other body part.

ERNEST ALBERT AISOP.

HAROLD VICTOR. KING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,261,005 Thompson et al. Oct. 28, 1941 2,310,156 van der Clute Feb. 2, 1943 2,429,557 Maccaferri Oct. 21, 1947 K FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 120,449 Australia Oct. 5, 1945 549,677 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1942 

